Losing a Friend
by Jak Cooper the Lombax
Summary: Sometimes, the most destroying loss can make one into the strongest person they could ever be. (Bad Summary. Shad up. I know.)


**Disclaimer: Ratchet and Clank are owned by Insomniac Games.**

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 **Inspired by: Always On My Mind from Kingdom Hearts**

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"Clank?" Ratchet got off the ground as he suddenly noticed the missing weight from his back.

 _"What happened... I remember... Some warbot... ... With a missile launcher..."_ Ratchet stumbled for a few steps as he saw sparks flash from a large rock.

"Clank!? Where are you?"

"Ra- _ZZZZZZT_!-"

"CLANK!?" Ratchet's eyes widened as he heard Clank's voice somewhat say his name.

"Rat- _Ksh_ -Chet? I am- _SHHHH_ \- here!" The Lombax fell to his knees as he lifted a large, thin sheet of metal out of his way. His heart stopped as his eyes saw Clank.

There in a circle of sunlight from a hole in the ceiling of a makeshift house made from scrap, tubes were spewing oil, his left eye was cracked, the other gone. His left arm was broken, the right hanging by a few wires. Several dents and scratches were on him, and there were several pikes of metal impaled in his joints, along with his voice box hanging out of his mouth by it's wires.

"CLANK!" The Lombax shouted as he tried to stand, but fell to one knee with a pained yelp. His right ankle was broken, and there his friend was, possibly dying.

"Ratchet... Be- _KSSSH_ -ful." The small robot said as much as he could, before a cough racked his small body and more oil splattered out of his mouth.

"Pal... Look who's dying." Ratchet tried to laugh, but he could only start crying as he lied down next to his friend.

"What _-ZAAAAAAAAT-_ an?" Clank held a questionable look on his face.

"Pal. Can't you see?" Clank's expression only turned to discovery, as if a child just figured out that glass can break.

"I a _-KKKSHHHH_ -ine, Ratche- _ZZZZZZZZZZT_!" Clank looked as if there was absolutely nothing wrong.

"CLANK! WAKE UP! YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!" Ratchet yelled as tears started streaming down his face.

"Ratchet..." Clank's remaining eye suddenly shut off, and his head hit the ground with a dull _THUMP_. Ratchet could only slowly get to his good knee and carefully lift Clank off the spikes. Shaking with sobs as oil continued to spew out from the punctured tubes.

"Rat- _kaaaahhhh_ \- RATCHET!? Are you there!?"

"I'm... Here..." Ratchet said between sobs. He gave a small wail as he finally lifted his friend's corpse off the spikes.

"Are you okay?" Ratchet didn't answer Talwyn's question as he held Clank's body against his chest. Lightly rocking back and forth as if he was trying to sooth a baby to sleep.

"He's dead..." Talwyn gasped on the other end of the com as she saw what Ratchet was holding in his arms.

"Clank..."

 _One week later..._  
 _At the Great Clock..._

"Final Message?" Ratchet clicked onto the file and turned to the hologram projector. The Lombax nearly broke down into tears as he saw the body of his dead friend again.

"Dear Ratchet, if you are seeing this message, then I must have met my end. I do not want you to dwell on my passing, but I want you to grow stronger from it. Losing someone close to you does break you down, but it makes you even stronger than imaginable afterward." The hologram of Clank paused his message, a hand on his lower lip. Thinking of what to say next.

"Take your time, pal." Ratchet whispered as he wiped a tear from his cheek.

"I know that you are strong, but you do have weaknesses... Being without me in body will be one, but in spirit, we are still together. ... That is why with my passing, I will no longer exist on this plane of existence, but my soul will return to the Clock. I may already be in the Clock when you play this message. I will not have anyway of directly speaking to you, but I will at least be able to see you." The small robot gave a sad smile as he tried to find more parting words to his best friend.

"I hope that in the future, we will meet again, not as heroic partners, but simply as friends... And I hope to make good acquaintance with your father in the time between my passing and yours. ... Farewell for now, Ratchet." The hologram blinked off as the message ended, leaving a much stronger Lombax shedding mournful tears as the dull ticking of time slowly crawled him closer to the next meeting with his best friend.

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... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Holy crap... I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging, but I feel like I just wrote the ending of the final Ratchet and Clank game... ... ... ... Kinda sad actually... It makes me... Feel old...

Free blankets, tissues, pillows, Clank plushies, toasters (Admit it, you want to throw 'em at me... Again.), chairs, and cookies for those who want/need them... *takes a Clank plush and a blanket* I know I need these. If anyone needs me, I'll be over in this corner... crying. *goes off to my emo corner*

 _ **~Jak Cooper the Lombax**_


End file.
